A Family Affair
by Cascadenight
Summary: Some say fate is written in the stars, others believe we are in control of our lives. Layla's not sure what she believes in. All her life she has believed that her mother would return, that she knew who she was and everything was perfect. But she's proven wrong when family secrets come to light and shatter her trust in her family, leaving her life to hang in the balance.
1. The Ties that Bind

**All right, here we go! The real start to Layla's story, sorry for the meltdown, but it needed a change. I'm not going to tell you the change, you're going to read about it. Thank you for sticking with me and welcome to new readers, enjoy!**

* * *

Dom stormed into his office with an angry glare squishing his face. It took him a few moments to cross the large building after touching down on the helipad. In those moments, he mumbled to himself and his face changed to match those who passed him. No one dared speak to him or even greet him. Grunts cleared the way and executives merely glanced for just a moment.

Team Rocket's main base stood in the middle of nowhere within a rocky canyon, and was a rather large building. Somewhere in northern Kanto, it was the longest standing base they'd had, and it was the hub of all things Rocket.

Files upon files, paper or digital, were stored there. All of them detailed every mission, any possible outlets for money, wealthy contacts, or persons of interest. Giovanni was adamant about keeping them. Despite his mother's focus on just money, he always had a bigger vision for Team Rocket.

"Damn that man; he won't get away with this," Dom snarled as he slammed his door shut and collapsed onto his work chair.

His face, and body, had settled into one he'd had a great fondness for, and one he assumed was closest to his real face. It sort of created itself over the years, and he'd found no need to change it. His skin was an enriched brown with darker stubble on his chin and jawline, with hard cut eyebrows to top his deep brown eyes. His hair was nearly gone in a close cropped cut.

The more he thought about it, the more he remembered his skin never being this dark or ever being so well fit. His true appearance was buried under all of those he had ever pretended to be. He could always make a generic make of himself. He would just have to look up the appearance of those descended from a nameless clan from long ago, thought to be the first to live in Johto...

"Focus," he muttered to himself before shaking his head. "Actually..."

Twisting in the chair to slide to his desk across the cluttered room, Dom lifted up a wooden crate and dropped it on his metal desk. It hit with a clank, scattering a few knick knacks on his desk and causing some pens to hit the floor. He rifled through the files inside, his eyes scanning each paper until he came to one in particular.

"Perfect!"

The clan had been most recently researched within the past few years, leaving him with a list of abilities the members had harnessed.

Back then they worshipped the Unown, strange psychic pokemon, and were able to adapt to live in their presence. It was unknown why they had to, or did, and what made the pokemon leave in the end. It wasn't the reason that mattered, but the abilities.

It was a well known fact that some humans are capable of what was once assumed the impossible. Mind control or reading, telekinesis, teleportation, telling the future. Few have honed these skills, but the numbers of those who did indeed have them were rising.

Dom believed that they should be a majority; that they were more likely to survive in this world with pokemon running amuck. He laughed at those easily tricked by his illusions. A simple change of the face and suddenly they couldn't locate him anymore. He could be anyone he wanted and get anything he so desired.

That wasn't what he needed, though. No. To be in Giovanni's favor, that is, to get endless amounts of funding for research, he needed to find a way to control Mewtwo. He already had a machine to do that, but it was clunky and outdated. It used pain to coerce the subject to do what needed to be done.

He needed to be smarter than that old contraption he built years and years ago. Another Rocket scientist was working on the same project using the brain, but it created rage and caused a state of fury. At that point, it would be hard to control the subject, for fury wasn't a controllable emotion. It was blind and reckless. The opposite of what Giovanni was looking for.

"'Telekinesis... Illusion manipulation...'," Dom read aloud. "Where is it? Ah!" Jabbing his finger onto the paper, Dom reached for a highlighter from a mug on his desk and marked the paragraph he wanted. "Compulsion. Perfect."

Next to the crate, beneath a few papers, Dom grabbed his laptop and returned to sitting in his chair. He opened the lid and typed in a password. As soon as it was booted up, he accessed Team Rocket's files and typed in 'Other' in the search bar. Despite his protests to make him and others like him their own category, no one else really cared and simply tossed aside his suggestion. It enraged him, but he knew they would get their karma soon, he was going to make sure of it.

"Compulsion," he spoke as he typed and hit enter, looking proud of himself.

Instead of the long list he was hoping for, a meager list comprised of no more than five names popped up. He scanned the names, reading the info bar to find that two must be dead of old age and that the other three were shots in the dark. As updated as the files were, he alone worked on those with powers, and he'd been too busy.

He clicked each name and read up on their files, one at a time, to gauge their abilities. The first two seemed adequate, able to control someone to do their bidding for a short amount of time; they were worth a look through. However, the last one was interesting. They were actually famous for their ability. How strange.

"Juniper..." he murmured under his breath. What a beautiful name.

He clicked for more info and a page from a magazine popped up with the woman on the front smiling while holding up her hand. Across the front the title said, 'The 'Natural' Pokemon Ranger!'. He realizes the hand she was holding up should have had the styler clasped around it, and he felt even more intrigued. She just might have been exactly what he was looking for.

"'...No need for a styler... 'persuades' pokemon to help... safe for them... they always have a choice..." At the last snippet, Dom grinned and clapped his hands. "Meaning she can take away that choice. I've hit the jackpot!"

He printed out the page and cleared off a wall, pinning it to the middle. Juniper's face grinning down at him as he stares at her. Compulsion - a beautiful ability that he hadn't had the luck to come across or have in this life. The ability to force someone to do something for you by different means. Touching them, speaking to them, or entering their mind and, to put it as she did, 'persuade' them.

There was something in her brain that allowed her to do this, and he could find it. Years of work had led to this moment, and he was not about to let her get away.

Turning back towards the laptop, he saved the other two names to get to first. He had to test out his equipment on one, make sure it could detect the brainwaves, keep track, make adjustments, and so on. He would perfect it and try it on the second.

Then came the game of Juniper.

He needed to find her whereabouts to see if she was still able to use her powers. The article was written long ago, so who knows what had changed. Hell, he needed to see if she was even _alive_ still. Being a Ranger was a tough job.

Dom checked the time and took a deep breath. The list of things to do was longer than he would have liked, but he needed to start somewhere. First he had to find data on Juniper. The most detailed files were on paper downstairs.

He whipped open the door to find a man standing there with his fist poised to knock. Dom's eyebrows lifted, and a harsh grin formed on his face. He was exactly what Dom was looking for when it came to finding a new target.

"Archer. Just the man I wanted to see."


	2. Fight to the End

Dom was an expert at blending in with the crowd. At one point in his life, he felt bad about it, and wanted to change it. Then, he grew into it, and decided he got the goldmine of gifts amongst his people.

Especially now.

On his old mentor's advice, he had gone off of Team Rocket's radar to search for Juniper on his own. With Giovanni busy focusing on his own mission, surely he wouldn't notice some extra resources being used.

Disguised as an old man well on his way to a nursing home, Dom had landed himself in Saffron City. The golden city was home to thousands of people and sprawled across miles and miles of land. Skyscrapers blotted out parts of the cloudy sky, their windows blinding as they reflected the midday light. Smoke from cars billowed from the streets and the honking of horns echoed through the alleyways. People pushed past each other on the sidewalks, hoping to get back to work on time or get their lunch soon.

Dom did nothing. He sat on a bench at a corner in front of a convenience store. No one paid the 'old' man any mind as he hummed to himself and watched traffic bustle on by. Barely a month, and he had only obtained a singular address on Juniper, an old one. Apparently, the archives have not been updated on them since they've moved in from Sinnoh.

No matter, Dom had had bigger challenges, and this one would bring in loads of the information he had been searching for.

Thanks to Team Rocket technology, with only a bit of research later he'd found her new address in Saffron, thanks to her husband being a doctor. He also found a rough idea of Juniper's schedule.

The former Ranger decided to become a stay at home mother after falling in love with some doctor. The two had a daughter, a case Dom also wanted to look up, and had settled in a condo somewhere in Saffron. Their lives were perfect, meaning he thought them to be boring for wasting their time. Juniper had the potential to do many great things with her powers, and yet she'd chosen to look after her daughter and stay in the background.

Pitiful.

If she were with him, they'd be changing lives. Teaching children their heritage so that one day, those who were different could finally be in the lead. No more 'freaks' or being 'out of control'. Just us and them.

"Come along, love," a gentle voice called out.

Dom's wrinkled ears perked, and he turned his tiny eyes towards the street across from him. Right on time, as written in his notebook, Juniper was passing by the same convenience store, just as planned. The schedule had been fairly specific, enough so that he had been, so far at least, able to sit in one place and catch up to her.

Last week, he had lost her after seeing her for the first time at breakfast with her husband. They were too happy in his mind, but after bidding each other farewell for the day, he was too careless and lost her in the crowd.

That was not going to happen today. He was sure of it.

"Coming, Mom!" a childish, higher pitched voice cried out a few moments later.

Trailing behind a tall, athletic, middle aged looking woman was a younger version of her, to put it roughly. Juniper was long legged and looked more like a bodyguard than a mother, Dom guessed she still trained herself as if it were her Ranger days. Wearing dark jeans and a light green blouse, Juniper turned and waited for her daughter to take her hand.

Her daughter, Layla as it said on the file, looked much like her mother. Same hair full of chestnut brown curls and same beautiful brown skin. The two sported similar smiles as they walked towards his side of the street.

Dom watched in fascination as Juniper paid no mind to her surroundings and kept in step with her energetic daughter. They passed by him without a second glance, onwards to the department store past the convenience store. Dom smiled as they passed by without a care in the world.

He took a moment to regard them in their happiness, wondering what they were thinking about to make them so happy. Once they were out of earshot, he took the time to make his appearance seem true, and struggled to get to his feet. A few feet away from bench, and he'd be swallowed up in the crowd. No one noticed the old man stand up straighter, or his wrinkles and white hair melt away into blond spikes and pale skin.

A bit of a stretch for recon, but it was easier to believe a teenager randomly skirting around a department store than an old man.

Recon was Dom's favorite job. He got to use all his power and mess with people's heads. He'd already gathered two test subjects under two separate false identities. That's where Team Rocket's extra resources came in handy, thanks to Archer. While those tests brewed, Dom decided to busy himself with following these two.

His trained eyes stayed on the back of Juniper's head to confirm where she was heading. The street he walked on led to a side entrance of the store marked with its overly bright sign and newly painted door. The duo headed inside without turning back, and he decided to keep going to get in the front entrance.

Saffron's department store was rather large, composed of ten floors filled with clothes ranging from baby to latest fashions found nowhere else. Escalators pulled customers from one floor to the next and back. Various perfumes hung in the air like a good smelling fog, as golden light fixtures shined down on the hundreds of customers coming and going.

Just as he expected, Dom spent the next few hours changing his appearance little by little as he followed the two throughout the store. The time dragged on for him as they spent thirty minutes in each store, trying on clothing and buying different items for who knows what. Dom was about to give up when they finally exited and seemed on their way home.

He moved quickly, rushing out of the store and dodging through the crowd to catch up as Juniper rushed her daughter along the street. He didn't understand it. At first, they were so casual and relaxed, but now, he was nearly sprinting to catch up to her.

She must have seen him; it was the only explanation. The only explanation without an answer as to how she caught on.

Changing tactics, Dominic rushed down a side alleyway to try and cut them off in the next block. The stench of garbage rushed past him as he ran towards the mouth only to cut off a different family of two. A lighter skinned woman with blonde hair and blue eyes with a daughter looking much the same but older than Layla.

"Excuse me," he muttered, and stalked off into the crowd behind them, cursing his bad luck while glancing around. That wasn't the first time he let his guard down, and it bit him in the ass, again.

But that day was the first day of recon, and Dom had all the time in the world now that he didn't have his boss watching over him. And he'd follow her until he knew the places she'd be and when.

 _ **XxXxXxX**_

"The subjects aren't responding well to the tests Dr. Wolfe, they can't handle the orders being given to them."

"Can't or won't?"

"Can't. We have them under control, but the waves meant to force them to comply have some negative effects on the mind."

Dom bit his bottom lip, his two lab rats have been on the decline as of late, and he wasn't happy about it. They were deteriorating faster than he could get information on Juniper, let alone _witness_ the woman's abilities. He would have to send more in, and he would need help doing that.

"You have agents under your command and a list of those with powers. Get. More. Subjects."

There was a dejected sigh at the other end before a muttered, "Yes, sir."

Dom dropped his phone on his desk and let out a frustrated sigh. For weeks, he'd been following Juniper without a single hint at having powers aside from always knowing when he was there. It was strange. She gave no sign of seeing him, but always managed to lose him just before heading home. He never saw her return home, but she was always there when he found his way back. He was starting to doubt whether or not he'd ever seen her power at work.

"Hmmm," he leaned back on his bed. "She's a lot sneakier than I originally thought. Interesting."

He needed to see what she could do, the amount that she could alter would help him decide just what kind of tests she could handle. The two subjects he was losing could barely alter their faces, let alone their surroundings. Even after strengthening them, it was a struggle for his team to do anything for them. Now, they were a mindless bunch with nowhere to go. He would have to dispose of them _sometime_. But until then, he had a job to do.

Juniper was out today, meeting with old friends, leaving the doctor home with his daughter. Picking up a camera and changing his appearance into that of a young man with spiky blond hair, blue eyes, and a young face. Dom hoped to look like a tourist. He picked up some fake wide rimmed glasses and settled them on his large nose before grabbing his room keys and exiting the hotel.

The walk to where the Ostergaard's lived wasn't a long one, fifteen minutes at most. Along the way, he took a few random photos here and there to practice his facade. Today was the day, he was going to make contact. He wanted to test the little girl, see what she could do, and hoped it would set off a chain reaction.

He wanted a fight. He wanted Juniper to come after him, to make it easier for her to be caught. He got the least amount of work done and a taste of her powers all in one shot. Once she was tired, he'd swoop in with tranquilizers and take her down. Maybe Layla too, if she showed potential. Get them while they're young, and their minds are moldable. Giovanni had the right idea taking that little girl. Kids had so much innocence, it was easier to turn them into what you wanted with the right amount of guidance. They had so much potential, it'd be a waste not to try.

Dom walked down the street, Juniper's building coming into sight, shining in the afternoon light as the sun began to set in the distance. Outside, kids played on the sidewalk, jumping rope, riding bikes, skipping around, and singing to themselves as their parents looked on. The fake blond began to look confused as he glanced around each building, pretending to look for the right place.

He stumbled upon the group and danced out of the way of the kids, nearly running into a specific little girl. Her brown curls had been pulled back into a ponytail, and she was wearing a simple t-shirt and athletic shorts. She yelped as he nearly stepped on her and backed away immediately.

"Oh, goodness, I'm so sorry," he stressed, the only fault of his illusions was his voice. He couldn't change the way he sounded well, but it was good enough. "I didn't mean to."

Layla regarded him as if suspicious of him, her green eyes squinting at him as if trying to see him more clearly. She took a moment to hear his words before smiling and straightening her back. "It's okay, sir. Are you lost?"

"How could you tell?" he replied, looking a bit sheepish.

"This is where families live, and I've never seen you around here. Where are you going?" she crossed her arms as if debating on tossing him out of her neighborhood or letting him go without a scratch. It was then that he decided he liked her and would enjoy seeing what she could do as she aged.

"The pokemon center," he answered, just as a man with dark brown hair and emerald green eyes walked up.

Dr. Preston Ostergaard, Dom reviews in his head, was a doctor originating from Sinnoh who had traveled to each region before settling down to have a family in Kanto. He was much lankier than in the photos, and had the soft angles of a gentle but trusting doctor and father.

Dom didn't like him.

"It's about three blocks away if you go to the end of this street and take a right, keep heading that way, and you'll see it," Preston spoke in a polite tone, though out of sight of Layla's eyes, Dom could see the warning hidden there.

Leave, and do not talk to her again.

A malevolent smile spread across Dom's lips as he regarded the doctor. He swung his arm out and bowed to him. There was a hint of malice in his voice as he replied. "Thank you so much for your help. I'll see you around."

Preston nodded in return and stepped in front of his daughter as the blond walked away. There was a confidence in his stride as though he had conquered the street. Once out of sight, Dom let out a burst of laughter and pumped his fist towards the sky. He'd done it!

Juniper knew that he was a threat and warned her husband to be on the lookout. She recognized that someone was after her that had the same abilities as her. That meant that they would be on the lookout for him, and be using extra 'precautions' to make sure Dom stayed away.

"Going just as planned," he clapped his hands, rubbing them together as he switched faces once again and disappeared down an alleyway back to the hotel. "It looks like I've found my prey."

They'd be searching for him now, apprehensive about who approached them and vague about details of their personal life. This was the game he'd been waiting for. He wanted them to be on their guard, and then he would slowly start to tire them out. When that happened, he'd strike where it hurt and get exactly what he wanted. That's how it had happened before, and that's how it would happen again. This wasn't about Team Rocket for the moment. This was Dom's turf.

He would fight.

He would win.


	3. Out on the Town

**And we're back. This time around, there won't be any inter-dimensional travel, those days are over. We're going for the less dramatic act of scattering the family is places with heavily surveillance while the parents scatter about. Layla won't be here long, though it is a big hiccup in her life for her, but she does meet some interesting people. Enjoy!**

* * *

Juniper was in a rut. She didn't know what to do, and that was a first for her. For the first time in her life, she was scared. Getting caught in vicious wildfires, sucked into deadly whirlpools, or even facing a rampaging Nidoking had nothing on this.

Someone was following her and her family around.

She didn't know who he was or what he wanted, but he was good. Just like her, a manipulator of illusions, and that made him dangerous. She didn't have the ability to see past illusions, she could only create them and limited ones at that. Layla's abilities had yet to surface so the girl couldn't possibly know what he truly looked like either.

Her ranger instincts told her to lead him on a false trail and relocate her family. They told her to leave them and investigate his life to find a weakness to strike. But how long could that take? Layla was only a little girl, she couldn't handle her mother leaving for a few years, could she?

Juniper had many connections. She could stay in contact with her family while she was gone without this dangerous man knowing. She was a mother, and right now her baby could be in grave danger. If she was the cause, then she would do whatever it took to make sure that her daughter and husband were safe.

It was a simple game of cat and mouse, she could lead him on it for months. Years even.

She knew a few trustworthy people, and by a few she meant two. These days it was hard to find someone who wasn't working for the wrong person or controlled by their greed.

But it was still too early to just up and run off under the radar. She needed to ensure her daughter's safety and innocence for this mission. Layla was far too young to start worrying about a stalker coming after her for her abilities. It could set off a chain reaction, and the girl could be terrified of what she could do and block off that part of her family history, the complete opposite of what Juniper wanted for her daughter.

They'd have to send her to a protected location where she would be monitored inconspicuously throughout the day and have no idea of the true turmoil happening in their lives.

"You want to send our daughter where?" Preston turned to his wife, his bright green eyes narrowed in confusion at her.

"There's a boarding school in Celadon. It's top notch, and she'd be safe. We need to fall under the radar for a while," she reasoned with her husband after Layla went off to sleep. "This man is skilled, and I'm terrified he's going to get us."

Preston's eyes widened at her confession. Neither of them were the type of people to get scared, and there was no hint of Juniper lying as she faced him. He took a step back to lean against the counter, his brows furrowed in concentration. He'd have to take off from work. He could travel all over again and stop by to see Layla, but it'd have to be carefully. The strange man has no interest in him, after all, so he'd be safe to go around doing whatever. But when it came to his wife...

"What will you do?" he asked, glancing up from the ground to study her soft features.

"I'm going to head off for a while, lay low, and set up some short term false trails. Maybe that will deter him," she answered in a calculating tone. Her ranger days had kicked in.

"For how long?" Preston pressed, sounding pained at the situation.

"For at least a year."

He swallowed thickly, he never imagined something like this happening to them. Things had finally been going right and then this guy came out of nowhere to ruin it all. Worst of all, he was powerless in this fight. This was something only his wife could do. As much as he wanted to get down and dirty to help her, he'd only get in the way. They both knew it, and he resigned himself to only being support for her and their daughter.

"I'll send in an application first thing in the morning. We'll have to lay low until she gets accepted and we can move her in," Juniper reached up to grasp her husband's face, her lips pressed against his for a quick instant. "It's going to be okay."  
Preston relaxed in her grip. She'd never been wrong before, and he doubted she'd start then. He just knows that it would be a long time before this would blow over and everything would truly be okay.

 _ **XxXxXxX**_

"Why am I going here again?" Layla glanced up at her parents, her green eyes muddled with confusion and hurt.

It was tough telling their daughter that they were shipping her off to boarding school for a year. She didn't take it well up front, but Layla had always been the persevering type. She adapted to the change and tried to look on the brighter side of it for the sake of her parents. It didn't help that she could feel their fear and their pain of leaving her.

Preston and Juniper shared a look for the umpteenth time that day. They had teleported early in the morning to Celadon City and had spent part of their morning spending time with their daughter. When they arrived at the school, the realization that they'd be leaving her there punched them both in the stomach. It was for her own good, they told themselves multiple times. But it doesn't mean you'll like it, a small voice whispered at the back of their minds.

They didn't like it, but it was for her safety. They'd stop by to visit every holiday and anytime it was safe. That barely pacified either of their needs to see their daughter everyday.

Preston was the first to lean over and pull his daughter in for a tight hug. "I've got important cases to see, and since they'd be your age, I don't want you to get sick. This is only for the year, we promise."

"We love you, baby," Juniper swallowed her tears and kissed her daughter's head multiple times. "I've got some old ranger duties to finish up, and they're too dangerous for you too."

"You'll come visit, right?" Layla turned to them, tears in her eyes.

"Of course," her father squeezed her tight and kissed her temple. "Be good, and no illusions unless it's a dire situation."

Layla giggled, not realizing that her parents weren't joking about that last bit. "I promise."

"Good. You'll make lots of friends and learn tons of new things," Juniper gave her one last squeeze. "We'll write when we can, call when we can, and visit when we can. Remember: we love you."

"I love you, too," their daughter wiped her tears and put on a brave face for what was ahead. "Bye."

The two waved her off, watching her jog into the crowd of kids heading into the front entrance. She turned back once more at the building's doors to wave on last time before she disappeared inside without turning back. Juniper and Preston's smiles evaporated from their faces as their daughter left. Their hands dropped and wordlessly they headed to the end of the street where they faced each other for the last time for a while.

"Keep this phone on you, it can't be traced. Call me on this when you want, you can use it to call Layla too. Lay low, and I will send updates as much as I can," Juniper handed him a black phone from her pocket and waved her own matching one before stashing it away. She turned back to him and reached up for a kiss, he returned it fervently. "I love you."

"I love you, too. Stay safe," he murmured, their foreheads pressed together.

"I've got no other choice," she half smiled, before leaning back. "See you soon."

"Yeah, soon."

 _ **OoO**_

Layla stepped through the buildings elegant front entrance. Celadon's boarding school was a stretch of large brick buildings on the outer edge of the city. The ceilings were impossibly high and painted with rich colors depicting strange scenes Layla had never seen before. The floors were shining marble reflecting light from the hanging fixtures above.

The flow of students nudged her in the direction of the dormitories where she was handed a paper and directed to her room. One side of the building was for girls while the opposite side housed the boys. She followed a group of girls up some stairs where they were sectioned off into their appropriate rooms.

A thick wooden door with her room number carved into it sat open as she approached. The room was larger than she expected, and inside were two other girls putting their clothes and things away already. She entered and wordlessly did the same, all the while worrying about what her parents were doing at that very second.

Once her things were put away, all the girls received uniforms and were directed to put them on. The school colors were green and gray, leaving their skirts to be light green with matching socks and a gray blazer. In their room was a singular bathroom with just a toilet and a sink. They had public showers to share. The girls took turns getting dressed and started to warm up to each other.

Feeling a bit out of place, Layla slipped on the pristine white under shirt, the blazer, and the rest of her outfit. She left their bathroom feeling worse than when the day started. She wanted to go home where she could wear whatever she wanted to school, where she could return home for the night and see her parents and their pokemon.

Now she was all alone.

Outside their room, a few teachers started to gather students from each class. Going into second grade had gotten Layla excited, but now she was dreading it.

When her number was called, she exited the room trailed by the other two girls as they babbled and babbled about their families. Not once did Layla pay special attention to their orientation, she understood how to get around school and where to go at what time. She didn't care about getting to know her roommates or classmates, nor did she care about the school's motto. She wanted nothing more than this year to fly by.

"Are you going to eat with us?" the girl from her room nudged Layla after their two hour orientation.

They had been paraded around the school, shown every classroom that they would possibly have to go to, told every rule they would have to follow, and told that they should be proud to attend such a prestigious school. Layla admitted that she would enjoy seeing what she would learn, but was still bitter about living there.

She glanced at the girl, was her name Maddie? She couldn't remember and shook her head. "I brought my own lunch... Thanks."

Maddie shrugged and bounced off to join a group of giggling girls, leaving Layla to march all the way back to their room to get the lunch her mother had packed for her. Eating alone didn't make Layla feel any worse. She preferred eating alone over having bad company. But it did leave an empty pang in her stomach as she grabbed her bag and headed to the front lawn.

The school was filled with kids that would be living there and would just be attending during the day. Many of them greeted each other with excitement about their summer while the rest introduced themselves to prospective friends.

Despite the school's 'shining' record, Layla knew that this school wasn't as expensive and extravagant as it liked to pretend to be. It was no better than a public school, though rich families sent their kids here and paid the heavy price for the full ride. She would only be here a year.

Layla plopped down under a tree and opened her paper bag to pull out a sandwich. Her favorite, peanut butter and pecha berry jam. She watched her mother make it for her this morning before they left.

She stared at the sandwich before taking a hesitant bite.

"Hello!" a voice suddenly rang out behind her. Layla yelped, twisting around to find a blue eyed boy staring at her with wide eyes. There went the prospect of a quiet lunch.

"H-hi," she swallowed her food and scooted away from him as he sat by her, eyeing her lunch bag hungrily.

"Do you want to see a magic trick?" he glanced up at her, a sly look in his eye.

Layla became interested immediately, her mother had once told her that sometimes a person was just like them if they said they knew magic. Misinformation is what she said it was. Had Layla found someone that could make illusions on her first day? What were the odds?

"Sure," she beamed and crossed her legs, sandwich at her lips and eyes focussed.

"I bet I can make..." the boy peeked into her bag and pulled out a small bag of chips with a grin, "this disappear!"

She raised a brow and nodded for him to continue. It was clear he did this often as he grabbed his backpack and pulled out a long white cloth. He stood up and moved to be seen in the light just a few feet away from her. His light brown hair glowed in the sunlight, and she saw a few streaks of dirt on his face that she hadn't noticed before. His clothes were clean and pressed and his shoes newly shined.

He cleared his throat and casted the cloth over his hand holding the chips. Layla watched as he waved the fingers of his free hand above the towel and watched as he ripped the cloth away. She saw the 'illusion' just as it happened. The cloth was long enough to almost touch the ground and held out far enough to hide his body behind it. She knew what he was going to do before he did it. He wasn't like her, but he understood illusions pretty well.

For someone not like her, she was impressed. He pulled the cloth away with a loud ta-da sound and revealed an empty hand. He showed her the cloth, shook it out and even kicked at his backpack.

"Where did it go?" he smirked at her as if he bested her.

With a smile, Layla pointed at him. "It's in the back of your shirt." The smile faded from his face and he looked prepared to bolt. "That was a great trick though. Do you want to share my lunch?"

His defenses relaxed at her words, taken off guard by her kindness as he stepped closer to her. "Really?"

"Yeah, of course," she held up the other half of the sandwich for him with a smile. "No one ever shows me magic tricks."

"But that one was terrible!" he flushed at the attention, dropping the bag of chips from its hiding spot in front of her.

"So? You still tried," she shrugged and put the sandwich in his hand, motioning for him to sit down. "I'm Layla."

The boy stared at her for a long moment, his eyes gauging her as if to see if she was serious about inviting him to sit. Who was this girl? That was his best trick. He had gotten countless lunches that way, and she saw through it like it was nothing!

Finally, his stomach growled and he lowered himself to the ground. His body moved slowly as if she were going to attack him or he was thinking about changing his mind. But he sat down and watched her with narrowed eyes.

Layla wasn't sure why he wasn't speaking, but she popped open the bag of chips and laid it out between them to share. She pulled out her thermos full of juice and poured him some in the cup on top. Her father always said it's best to help others before helping yourself, and that's exactly what she did.

She may not enjoy attending this school for the most part, but she was stuck there, and by the looks of it, he may be too. Instead of creating enemies and making it worse, she'd like to make one friend, even if he tried to steal from her. There's just something about him that she was drawn to and wanted to get to know more.

She lifted the cup up for him to take, her green eyes meeting his blue ones. Finally, he smiled and accepted the cup and took a long sip from it. He set it down and clapped his hands together before beaming at her.

"My name's Eusine!"


End file.
